Khartoum printable guide

Khartoum

الخرطوم

Skip Khartoum for now; ongoing conflict, disrupted services and government travel advisories make it unsuitable for leisure travel – only go if essential after checking current advice.

Khartoum, Sudan's capital at the Nile confluence, is spread over three cities and offers museums, markets and river views, but ongoing conflict, unreliable utilities and travel advisories mean it is best avoided unless essential.

Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.

Country

Sudan

Local name

الخرطوم

Best months

Nov–Feb (cooler, less rain)

Avoid

Apr–Jul (very hot) and any period of active conflict

Stay

0 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency: SDG
Money: US dollars and Sudanese pounds in cash carry most payments: see Insurance & payments above.
Daily spend: Budget SDG 150–250 excl. bed · Mid SDG 300–500 excl. bed · High SDG 600+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
Emergency: Police 999 · Fire and ambulance 999 · Medical assistance (hospital) 123

Get around

Taxis (metered or fixed‑price) are common; fares start at SDG 17.5 plus SDG 4.6 per km (check, historical 2015), double when crossing the Nile. Minibuses run between the three cities for SDG 3–5 (check, historical 2017) but lack signs and require basic Arabic. Walking is possible in central districts but distances are long.

See and do

Known for

National Museum of Sudan
Souq Arabi market
Confluence of the Blue and White Nile (Al‑Mogran)
Presidential Palace Museum
Tuti Island ferry

Day trips

Where	How	Time
Wad Madani	Bus from Khartoum Land terminal (Meena al Barre); trains also run three times per day	About 2 h by road
Atbara	Daily Nile Express train from Khartoum North (Bahri) station; buses leave from Khartoum North (Shendi) bus station	About 4 h by train
Port Sudan	Bus from Khartoum Land terminal, or infrequent train from Khartoum North	About 12 h by road
Meroë	Road north via Atbara, then the desert track to the pyramids	About 4–5 h by road

Sleep

Airport hotel area: Accommodation availability is uncertain due to conflict; check current conditions before booking.

Phrase card

English	Say or show
Hello	السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum
Thank you	شكراًshukran
How much?	كم؟kam
Where is …?	أين …؟ayn
I need a taxi	أحتاج تاكسيahtaj taksi

Etiquette, safety and scams

Scams and watch-outs

Travel advisories warn against non‑essential travel due to armed conflict.
Water and electricity infrastructure has been damaged in fighting; check current conditions.
Photo restrictions at the Nile confluence; fines may be imposed.

Travel advisories advise against non‑essential visits; security incidents and utility outages are common, so keep a low profile and stay near the airport.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Khartoum yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

National Museum of Sudan
Souq Arabi market
Confluence of the Blue and White Nile (Al‑Mogran)
Presidential Palace Museum
Tuti Island ferry

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Travel advisories (US, UK, etc.): travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/sudan-travel-advisory.html
Wikivoyage: Khartoum, revision 5299382 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5299382

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Khartoumالخرطوم

إلى هذا العنوان، من فضلك

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

Police999
Fire and ambulance999
Medical assistance (hospital)123

Check your embassy's location; many operate from Port Sudan or have suspended services.

Voykit · checked 2026-09